The Rise of Women in Skate Culture

Last weekend the world’s best female skateboarders traveled to Encinitas, California for Exposure Skate, a women’s nonprofit skate competition aiming to reaffirm strong female presence in a male-dominated sport.

Exposure is a free event that accepts contributions to be donated to local domestic violence shelters. The women and families who attend love to skate and want the world to be a fair an equal place. Exposure is even starting to draw serious attention.

Skating has become something of a subculture with over11 million people claiming to enjoy skateboarding on a regular basis. Still, only 16.6% of core skaters are women, but some people see this changing.

“The progression of women’s skateboarding has been awesome,” X Games gold medalist Greg Lutzka told Good Sports at Exposure Skate.

The tides might be turning, as Exposure has garnered support from both skate legend Tony Hawk and apparel company Vans. This year the event raised $6,000 for charity, bringing the total since its inception in 2012 to over $40,000.

Exposure is looking toward the future, though, and has started an education program geared toward young girls. In two states these girls are given access to a free skate clinic and given pointers on how to ride.

These girls could go on to be a big part of an ever-changing scene and subculture. Women all over the world are participating in feminist movements. Exposure, as the epicenter of the women’s skate movement, is pushing boundaries and keeping the culture fresh and full of that rebellious skater energy.

The culture around skating has always featured an unconventional, defiant tone. From Bart Simpson’s early day ‘Eat my shorts’ mentality to the youth of today skating down public staircases flaunting the status quo, skating has always been contradictory.

That is exactly what Exposure Skate is all about. The women that come to Encinitas, California from all across the world are showing solidarity in the face of an institutionally male sport. It’s in the challenging of the way the world works, and the way you challenge it, that places you inside skate culture.